Tips from the Judges for Search for a Star Competitors

1. Do not worry if you are not sure about what category your horse should compete in for example are they a riding horse or a hunter, is it a show hunter pony or a show pony? The judges will point you in the right direction

2. Try to hire an indoor school or go to an indoor show prior to the search for a star competition – get your horse used to being indoors.

3. Try to ensure that someone else has ridden your horses besides yourself, especially if it is young. Being green is not a draw back but bad manners can cost you a class

4. Remember that ride judges come in all shapes and sizes – make sure your leathers will go shorter or longer and that your irons are full size.

5. It helps enormously if you can ride with other horses as often as possible, so that your horse/pony does not hot up in company, which is especially important in the Riding Club Horse class.

6. Practise taking your horse or pony out of line and getting him used to leaving others. Try setting up a mock show with your friends.

7. If your horse or pony is young and a real novice you can show in a snaffle, it will not count against you.

8. Always remember that there is sure to be someone in your area who knows about showing, don’t be afraid to ask advice, you are entitled to get help and it will not affect your amateur status.

9. Read the competition rules carefully so that you are clear on the amount of help you are allowed and whether you are eligible for the competition.

10. Always remember that the judges and officials are there to help. Don’t be afraid to approach them!

SEIB are delighted that there is so much interest in Search for a Star 2017 and in particular the new Working Horse/Pony Class. The details are still being worked on but the aim is to have a safe and exciting class for every show horse that can jump a couple of small fences. Competitors will…

The eagerly awaited dates for the 2017 SEIB Search for A Star and SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse showing series have been announced, and there will be new opportunities for competitors as a result of a revised schedule for 2017. A new Working Show Horse/Pony class will be incorporated into the 2017 Search for a…